Combination checkrein-ease.



No.785,129. "PATENTEDMAR-21,1905;

J. R. UNGAPHER. j

COMBINATION GHEOKREIN EASE.

APPLICATION FILED was, 1903;

antenna l NTTED STATES Patented March 21, 1905.

PATENT Qrrrca.

COMBINATION CHECKRElN-EASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 785,129, dated March 21, 1905,

I Application filed August 3, 1903. Serial No. 168,068.

To In whom it may concern.-

This invention relates to devices for relieving the horses head of the unyielding strain of the ordinary checkrein.

The object is to provide a novel yielding checkrein-holder or connection between the rein and the harness-saddle, whereby the animals head, though under the restraint of said checkrein, will be capable of comparatively free and natural movements, said device being entirely secure and trustworthy and at the same time comparatively simple, so that it may be cheaply manufactured.

The preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of aharnesssaddle, showing the improved holder applied thereto. Fig. 2is a horizontal longitudinal sectional View through the same. Fig. 3 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 06 w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3/ of Fig. 2.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

in the embodiment illustrated a support in the form of a casing is employed, the main walls of which are preferably formed of a metallic sheet having a flattened intermediate portion 5, with marginal side rolls 6, forming spaced tubular compartments. The ends of the casing are closed by clip-plates 7 having terminal lip portions 8, that are overlapped upon the upper and under sides of the main body of. the casing. This casing is adapted to be fastened to an ordinary harness-saddle 9 by means of bolts 10, which bolts pass vertically through the casing between the tubular compartments and through the lips 8 of the end closures. Suitable nuts 11, threaded upon the upper ends of the bolts, bear upon the upper lip. These bolts consequently not only serve as means for securing the casing to the saddle, but also constitute means for fastening the parts of the casing in assembled relation.

A check-holding device formed of a substantially U-shaped rod 13 has its shanks 13 slidably mounted within the compartments 6 of the casing, the bend of said device projecting from one of the end caps or clipsforming an eye in which the checkrein is secured or engaged. Springs 14 are coiled upon the shanks 13, one end of each spring bearing against the-end plate through which the holding device projects, the other ends of said springs bearing against washers 15, mounted on the free ends of the shanks and held there by nuts 16.

It will be clearly evident that a chec krein secured in the eye, or, in other words, to the holding device, is placed under a yielding tension, and said checkrein will thus give to the natural movements of the animals head, but will at all times put a restraint thereon. The movement thus permitted not only aifords the horse more comfort, but reduces to a minimum the danger of breaking the checkrein under abnormal strains. The structure itself is extremely simple. The casing being preferably formed of sheet metal is not only cheap and capable of being readily manufactured, but can be easily assembled and applied to a harness-saddle. Further than this, the parts can be readily disassociated if necessary for the purpose of repair or renewal of any of them. For instance, if it is desired to remove the springs by removing the holding-bolts 10. the closure clip-plates 7 can be taken off and the entire holding device, with the springs thereon, extracted from the casing.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the'advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described. the combination wit-h a support, of a check-holding device having spaced shanks slidably mounted on the support, springs fitted upon the shanks and opposing the sliding movement thereof in one direction, and fastening means for the support passing transversely therethrough between the shanks.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination With a casing, of a substantially U-shaped check-holding device having spaced shanks slidably mounted in the casing, springs coiled upon the shanks and opposing the sliding movement thereof in one direction, said springs being located within the casing, and fastening-bolts passing transversely through the casing between the shanks.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing formed of sheet metal and having its opposite side margins rolled to form spaced tubular compartments, of a check-holding device projecting from one end of the casing and having spaced shanks slidably mounted in the compartmentssprings coiled upon the shanks and located within said t compartments, and means for securing the casing to a harness-saddle.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing, of an end closure detachably mounted on the casing, a checkholding device having a shank that is slidably mounted in the casing, a spring mounted within the casing and engaging the shank, and means for fastening the casing to a harnesssaddle, said means engaging the closure to secure the same upon the casing.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing having spaced tubular compartments, of a substantially U- shaped check-holding device having spaced shanks that are slidably mounted in the com,- partments, coiled springs fitted upon the shanks and located Within the compartments, and fastening devices passing through the casing between the compartments.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

v JOHN RAMSY UNCAPHER.

Witnesses:

' J. L. FRICK,

L. CONN MOOURDY. 

